Intention To Learn

Whenever someone tells me they’re not getting opportunities to learn, my response is always the same: what we lack is rarely the resources to learn; it’s the intention to learn.

What I often observe in many young professionals is an unwillingness to go “beyond the syllabus”—to invest their time and energy into developing new skills or deepening their expertise in a structured way. For instance, someone in sales could improve by learning advanced negotiation techniques, enhancing their ability to manage relationships, or gaining deeper insights into the industry in which they operate.

Doing a job and learning are not the same. True learning only happens when you acquire something new that you can apply to what you do. It involves consciously gathering knowledge from multiple sources—whether through your job, reading, guidance from mentors, or formal training—and weaving that knowledge into a unique framework that enhances your capabilities.

Here’s a simple way to gauge if your intention to learn is genuine: ask yourself, “How much time each week do I dedicate to structured, purposeful learning?”

If you find yourself dodging this question or justifying that you’re “too busy,” recognize that you’re only fooling yourself when you claim to be learning and growing. It’s all empty bluster. You have no intention to learn !!